#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-02-11

Collection of Tomorrow closes the loop (again) with circular anorak

Is this the world's most sustainably made outdoor garment, ask Spinnova, Bergans and Halley Stevensons © 2021 Spinnova

It is quite possible! Spinnova, Bergans and Halley Stevensons have now managed to create a fully circular hiking garment without the use of harmful chemicals. The new anorak is 100% recyclable and can be reproduced several times.

The Collection of Tomorrow is an ambitious innovation collaboration between the Norwegian outdoor brand Bergans, Spinnova and Scottish textile finisher Halley Stevensons. Together, they work to give the textile industry a powerful push towards a more circular future. Spinnova, Bergans and Halley Stevensons are probably the first in the world to close the loop of a textile product without using any harmful chemicals.

– This is a microscopic step for outdoor clothing, but a giant leap for sustainable textile production, says Product Developer in Bergans, Bjørnhild Hoveid Steingrimsen.

The innovative partners have made great progress. They are now ready to launch an outdoor anorak made of Spinnova's cellulose-based material that uses trees as raw material. Spinnova's fiber technology is groundbreaking because the processes take place mechanically, completely without the use of harmful chemicals. The Spinnova team is excited to continue the journey with The Collection of Tomorrow.

– We are thrilled of this next next step in our joint development, through incorporating a high-performance natural wax with Spinnova materials and ageless design by Bergans. This collaboration has played an important role in our efforts in developing commercial fabrics with natural finishings, says Spinnova’s Chief Commercial Officer Lotta Kopra.

To make the fabric more weather-resistant, it has been treated with Halley Stevenson's latest innovation, EverWax Olive - a wax treatment based on olive oil and other plant-based wax types. With this, the garment is 100% recyclable, and the material can be reproduced again and again. Halley Stevensons ensures the fabric gets its technical qualities, without compromising sustainability.

– The opportunity to work with a brand-new material is not something that comes our way every day! It’s been both exciting and challenging to learn how our waxes will work with the Spinnova fibre. We are currently fine tuning a natural plant based wax recipe and gentle process that will complement the circular properties of this innovation, to give lasting performance and recyclability, says Halley Stevensons Managing Director Jimmy Campbell.

Steingrimsen and her product designer colleague Johannes Flem form the main stem in Bergans innovation department – bergans.future.labs. Together with their team they have tested the material and given the anorak its stylish and functional design with a clear reference back in time.

– The transition to a circular economy will require exceptional levels of collaboration across the value chain and the implementation of new sustainable business models. Let’s hope our co-lab will inspire other brands and suppliers to join partners and seek tomorrow's solutions, says Flem.

A new way of owning

The Collection of Tomorrow is not all about materials and technology, it is also about exploring new business models that can help us reduce our consumption of resources. Johannes Flem explains:

– If we are to succeed in this, we have to rethink the concept of owning things. When you buy a piece in The Collection of Tomorrow, you will also become a co-owner in the total amount of Spinnova material that exists in the world. The value of the product is therefore divided in two; one part is the value of the material itself and the second part is the value of the work done to shape the material into a garment.

– The idea is that you can recycle your entire product into a new product once it is worn out or no longer serves its purpose. 100% of the material remains in the loop and reappears as a new product. We do not know if this is possible in a big scale yet, but intend to get there, Steingrimsen concludes.

Anoraks available on pre-order NOW on Bergans Future Labs' online shop!

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